Vertically moveable latch for swinging hopper car doors



VERTICALLY MOVEABLE LATCH FOR SWINGING HOPPER CAR DOORS Filed Aug. 14, 1957 G. B. DOREY Feb. 7, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet l fl LII.

IN VENTOR. Geo/ ye 5 flo/ y,

G. B. DOREY Feb. 7, 1961 VERTICALLY MOVEABLE LATCH FOR SWINGING HOPPER CAR DOORS Filed Aug. 14, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

G. B. DOREY Feb. 7, 1961 VERTICALLY MOVEABLE LATCH FOR SWINGING HOPPER CAR DOORS Filed Aug. 14, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 660(96 E 270mg United States Patent VERTICALLY MOVEABLE LATCH FOR SWINGING HOPPER CAR DOORS George B. Dorey, Westmount, Quebec, Canada, assiguor to Enterprise Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 14, 1957, Ser. No. 678,066

12 Claims. Cl. 105-253) This invention relates to an improved latch mechanism for a hopper door such as employed in connection with hinged doors of railway car hoppers and the like.

The objects of the invention, among others, are: To provide an improved latch and bracket assembly which may be readily formed of components welded together to provide an assembly of light weight and great strength which may be cheaply manufactured and applied without recourse to bolting or riveting; to provide a bodily movable shaft having toggle linkageand a pivoted latch dog carried by the linkage for engagement with an arm of the toggle mechanism for latching the toggle in closed position; and to provide an eccentrically disposed operating head on a bodily movable latching shaft for engage ment with an inclined runway of a keeper whereby disproximately one half the width of the car, said view showing a hopper door in open position and having the improved latching mechanism applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 1 and also showing by conventional dot and dash lines the position of the door as contact is established between the' eccentrically disposed head of the shaft and the inclined approach of the keeper.

Figure 3 is a side elevational View, similar to Figure 2, except that the door isv shown in fully closed position and the latching dog in final locking position.

Figure 4 is another side elevational view similar to Figure 2. except that the door is shown in preliminary held position.

Figure 5 is a fractional sectional view as taken on a line 55 of Figure 2. V u i Figure 6 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken through the shaft at a location corresponding to a line 66oftFigure 1. y

a Figure 7 is a perspective of the mechanism bracket withone of the guide walls broken away to better illustrate one of the lugs.

m Figure 8 is a perspectiveof the latching shaft. In said drawings the car structure is indicated by a {center sill 10 and side wall 11-and interposed between said s ill and side wall is a hopper proper defined in part by upper and lower oppositely sloping floors l2 and 13 and outer and inner side walls as indicated at 14 and 15 respectively. The edge portions ofsaidfloors and walls arespaced from each other to form a discharge area which in turn is bordered by aframe 16. The frame 16 is preferably in the formof a lower stirrup portion includinglegs 17 t and 18 which respectively overlie the side walls 14 and 15 and a lower portion 19 which unthe frame 16 includes a beam member 20 which underlies the sloping floor 12. The stirrup portion of the frame 16 is preferably of T shape with a stem 21 projecting centrally outwardly from the overlying portion 22 of the frame. The upper beam member 20 is preferably of angle shape with one wall 23 underlying the floor 12 and the adjacent wall 24 projecting downwardly and forwardly beyond the edge of the side walls 14 and 15 and forming with the outer portion of the wall 22 a foursided forwardly extending chute-like structure. In the angle presented by walls 23 and 24 there are disposed pairs of hinge butts 25-25 which are: apertured at 26 for receiving door hinge pintles 27.

Pivotally supported by pintles 27 are hinge straps 28 which are connected to a hopper door proper 29 by welding as indicated at 30. The door 29 is preferably of pan shape with upturned flanges 31 and, when closed, it assumes an inclined position to enclose the forwardly projecting chute-like structure of the frame 16.

The door 29, in open position, hangs .in a substantially vertical position, Figure 2, and is adapted to be swung or kicked towards closed position to be there retained by the latching mechanism which forms the subject of the present invention.

The latching mechanism includes shouldered keepers 32 and 33 which are respectively carried at the sides of the hopper and cooperating therewith is a latching bar in the form of a bodily movable shaft 34. The shaft 34 is provided with arms 35-35 which in turn pivotally connect at 36 with one end of linkages .shown at 37 and 33 and said linkages in turn connect at 39 with lugs 40 which are carried by a bracket 41, Figure 7, as will be hereinafter pointed out.

The bracket 41 is preferably of angle shape with one wall 42 welded tothe outer face of the door 29 at 43 and having the. adjacent wall 44 extending outwardly in a direction substantially normal to the main plane of the door. The lugs 40 are disposed in alignment with the arms 35 of the shaft and the linkages 37 and 38 include trunnions 45 and 46 formed integrally therewith. The trunnions 45 extend through the lugs 40 and the trunnions 46 extend through the arms 35. The axes of said trunnions 45 and 46 are preferably so related to each other and to the axis of the shaft 34 that a straight line 47, Figure 6, extending through said axes of said trunnions will pass slightly to one side and beyond the axis 48 of the shaft 34 when the latch mechanism is in closed position in order toprovide a toggle locked mechanism. The linkages 37 and 38 are indented as at 49 to allow for the seating of the shaft 34 in toggle locked position.

The arms 35 of the shaft 34 are provided with extensions 50 which extend radially beyond the axis of trunnions 46 and present a flat seat-51 with which a latching dog 52 pivotally mounted on linkage 37 engages to main' tain the toggle in closed position and thereby prevent ,derlies the lower sloping floor The upperportion of accidental release of the latch mechanism. in order to provide a suitable mounting for the dog 52 the linkage 37 extends upwardly for an appreciable distance outwardly of and above the trunnions 46 and is provided with trunnions 53 for pivotally receiving the said dog.

The respective pairs of links forming the linkages 37 and 138 are united by rivets 54 which extend through the trunnions. 3

The "shaft 34 in its bodily movement is confined to a rectilinear path by means of guiding walls SS Figure 7, which' consist of fiat plate sections welded at the lower -end to the wall 44 of the beam member at 56 and the upper end of the guiding wall is bent inwardly at 57 and thence upwardly to present a Z-shaped section including "a wall 58 overlying the door plateand welded thereto at 59; r h l i 'Adjacent'the outer-sidewall 14 ofthehoppen'theend of the shaft 34 is fitted with an eccentrically disposed head 60, Figure 8, which is preferably in the form of a shaft section'61overla pping the main-body; of the shaft and 'weldedthe'retoat 62 and 63. Theovjerlappingportion of the head 60"is disposed to ride on an inclihed runway 64 of the ke'eper 32 which lea s't'o the shouldered part of the keeper'32npon' closing niovementofthe door 29 and operates to'turn the shaft 34so ast'o break the toggle and allow free-displacement of "the shaft.

The shouldered parts of thekep'rs 32 and 33 preferably inciude two steps65 'an'd 66connectedbyinclined surfaces 67, the steps '65 operating'in conjuncti'on with the ends of the shaft 34 to hold the'door"29inf-partially opened position and'steps 66 constitutingthe final'holding surfaces to maintainthe doorZWih-frilly closed position. 7

Extending laterally foutwardly from the body of the keeper 32 is a projection 68 having an upper edge surface 69 on which an'operating bar 70 is adapted to pivot for levering against the operating head 60, Figure 3, to effect release of the latch mechanism. The lower edge surface 71 of the projection 68 forms a fulcrum for an operating bar 72 to acton the operating head 60 in a closing direction, Figure 4. Thekeepers 32 and 33 are of angular formation and each includes a wall extending at an angle to the shank portion as indicated at 73, Figure 5, for keeper'32and at 74 for keeper 33. The said walls 73 and 74 are braced to their respective shank portions by ribs as indicated at 75 and 76. The said keepers 32 and 33 embrace the stem 21 of the frame 16 with thewalls 73 and 74 resting on the said stem and welded thereto as'at 77.

The dog 52 is provided with extensions 78 which project outwardly laterally beyond the body of the linkage 37 and formed integrally therewith are projections 79 disposed in alignment with the extensions 78 whereby "a prying bar 80, Figure 6, can be inserted between extension 78 and projection 79 for conveniently levering the dog 52 to released position. V

Adjacent each side edge of' the door 29 bearing pads 81 of appreciable thickness are provided to present hearing surfaces for the shaft 34 throughout its bodily movement.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: Assuming the door 29 to be in opened position as seen in Figures 1 and 2, the operator swings the "door 29 toward "closed position and contact is established between the eccentrically disposed head 60 and the runway 64 as 'seenby conventional dotand dish lines in Figure 2. Continuied movement in a closing direction releases the toggle "and ends of the shaft 34 ride on the inclined runways 64 'of the keepers 32 and 33' until they ,drop into holding engagement with steps 65. as seen in Figure 4. Then, movement of the shaft 34 from the steps 65 to steps 66 held in closed position. The opening of the jdoor'29 is t areversal of the cycle of closing operations except that the .operatingbar is positioned as shown in Figure 3.

. Whatis claimed as new is: r

l. in arailw aycar havinga hopper with adischa'r'ge openingside walls terminating at the sides of said discharge opening, a sloping floor terminating at the bottom, of said discharge opening, and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent an upper sideof said opening and swingable under: the effect of gravity to an openpositi'on, in combi "nation, a shouldered keeperrigidly'mounted on *eac'hof said side walls"andfextending'beyond the respective. sides of saiddoor wheanesed; a shaft extending parallel tof the'hinge axis of said'door on the side thereof away from *spaced fromsaid -=edge and extending outwardly from said door, a pair'of parallel arms extending radially in the same direction from and rigidly secured to said shaft in alignment-with'said lugs, a ipair of laterally spaced link members straddling"eachlugandthe respective arm and pivoted thereto about parallelaxes, and guide means on said door mountin'gsaid shaft for movement toward or away from said hinge axis. I,

2. In a railway car having 'a hopper with a discharge opening, side walls terminating at the sides of said discharge opening, a sloping floor terminating at the bottom of'said discharge opening, and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent an'upper side of said opening and swingable under the effect of gravity toan open position, in combination, a shouldered keeper rigidly mounted on each of said side walls and extending beyond the respective-sides of said door when closed, a'shaft extending parallel to the hinge axis of said door on the side thereof away from said opening'and adjacent the edge furthest removed from said hinge axis and projecting at its ends beyond'the sides of said door and engaging the'keepers when said door is closed to hold said door closed, guide means on said door mounting said shaft for movement toward or away from said hinge axis, a pair of arms rigidly secured in parallel spaced relation to and extending radially in thesame direction from said shaft, a pair of laterally spaced links pivoted about parallel axes at one end to said door below said shaft and at the other ends to said arms respectively above said shaft, one of said shouldered keepers having an inclined runway to its latching shoulder, and operating means at one end of said shaft in alignment with the one shouldered keeper and having a shoulder eccentric with respect to the longitudinal axis of said shaft and engageable with said inclined runway as said door is swung toward closed position with said shaft below the pivotal connections between said arms and said links to rotate said shaft about its pivotal connections to said links and said links about their pivotal connections to said door for lifting and guiding the ends of said shaft into engagement with the respective locking shoulders on said keepers.

3. The invention, 'as set forth in claim 2, wherein the operating means is in the form of a shaft overlying and secured to the one end of the shaft and extending longitudinally therefrom.

'4. The invention, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the mutually'overlying portions of the operating meansand shaft are in alignment with the inclined runway on the -one shouldered keeper.

' 5. In a railway car having a hopper; with a discharge opening, side wallsterminating at the sides of said'discharge opening,'a sloping floor terminating at the bottom of said discharge opening, and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent an upperside of said-opening and swingable under the effect'of gravity to an open position, in

combination, a shouldered keeper iigidly' mounted on v v I each of said side walls. and extending beyond the respective sides 'of'said door'when closed,'a shaft extending tending radially in the same? direction fr'om said fshaft, *a

Jpair' o'f links 's'traddlin'geach-of said arms and pivotally parallel to the hinge axis of said 'door on the side thereof 7 i of links being pivotally connected at the other end to said door below said shaft about an axis parallel to the pivot axis of the connections of said links to said arms, one of said shouldered keepers having an inclined runway to its latching shoulder, and operating means at one end of said shaft in alignment with the one shouldered keeper and having a shoulder eccentric with respect to the longitudinal axis of said shaft and engageable with said inclined runway as said door is swung toward closed position with said shaft below the pivotal connections between said arms and said links to rotate said shaft about its pivotal connections to said links and said links about their pivotal connections to said door for lifting and guiding the ends of said shaft into engagement with the respective locking shoulders on said keepers.

6. In a railway car having a hopper with a, discharge opening, side walls terminating at the sides of said discharge opening, a sloping floor terminating at the bottom of said discharge opening, and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent an upper side of said opening and swingable under the effect of gravity to an open position, in combination, a shouldered keeper rigidly mounted on each of said side walls and extending beyond the respective sides of said door when closed, a shaft extending parallel to the hinge axis of said door on the side thereof away from said opening and adjacent the edge furthest removed from said hinge axis and projecting at its ends beyond the sides of said door and engaging the keepers when said door is closed to hold said door closed, guide means on said door mounting said shaft for movement toward or away from said hinge axis, a pair of arms rigidly secured in parallel spaced relation to and extending radially in the same direction from said shaft, a pair of laterally spaced links pivoted about parallel axes at one end to said door below said shaft and at the other ends to said arms respectively above said shaft, one of said shouldered keepers having an inclined runway to its latching shoulder, operating means at one end of said shaft in alignment with the one shouldered keeper and having a shoulder eccentric with respect to the longitudinal axis of said shaft and engageable with said inclined runway as said door is swung toward closed position with said shaft below the pivotal connections between said arms and said links to rotate said shaft about its pivotal connections to said links and said links about their pivotal connections to said door for lifting and guiding the ends of said shaft into engagement with the respective locking shoulders on said keepers, said eccentric shoulder on said operating means having a lateral extension endwise thereof outwardly of said door beyond said one shouldered keeper, and a projection extending laterally from said one shouldered keeper in parallel spaced relation with said lateral extension of said eccentric shoulder for receiving therebetween an operating bar to pry said shaft into or out of operative engagement with said shouldered keepers.

7. In a railway car having a hopper'with a discharge opening, side walls terminating at the sides of said dischargeopening, a sloping floor terminating at the bottom of said discharge opening, and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent an upper side of said opening and swingable under the effect of gravity to an'op'en position, in combination, a shouldered keeper rigidly mounted on each of said side walls and extending beyond the respective sides of said door when closed, a shaft extending V allel axes at one end to said door and at the other ends to said arms respectively, at least one of said arms having a locking extension on the side of the pivotal connection to the respective link away from said shaft, and a locking cam pivotally mounted on the last mentioned link and engaging said locking extension to prevent relative movement of said shaft and door and maintain said shaft in latching postion.

8. In a railway car having a hopper with a discharg opening, side walls terminating at the sides of said discharge opening, a sloping floor terminating at the bottom of said discharge opening, and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent an upper side of said opening and swingable under the effect of gravity to an open position, in

combination, a shouldered keeper rigidly mounted on each of said side walls and extending beyond the respective sides of said door when closed, a shaft extending parallel to the hinge axis of said door on the side thereof away from said opening and adjacent the edge furthest removed from said hinge axis and projecting at its ends beyond the sides of said door and engaging the keepers when said door is closed to hold said door closed, guide means on said door mounting said shaft for movement toward or away from said hinge axis, a pair of arms rigidly secured in parallel spaced relation to and extending radially in the same direction from said shaft, a pair of laterally spaced links pivoted about parallel axes at one end to said door and at the other ends to said arms respectively, at least one of said arms having a locking extension on the side of the pivotal connection to the respective link away from said shaft, the last mentioned link including a pair of link members straddling said locking extension and extending therebeyond, and a locking cam sandwiched between the extensions of said link members and engaging said locking extension to prevent relative movement of said shaft and door and maintain said shaft in latching position.

9. The invention, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the locking cam has a projection extending laterally beyond the extension of one of said link members and the one link member has a projection extending laterally therefrom parallel to and spaced from said projection on said locking cam for receiving therebetween a prying bar.

10. In a railway car having a hopper with a discharge opening, side walls terminating at the sides of said discharge opening, a sloping floor terminating at the bottom 7 of said discharge opening, and a door hinged to said parallel to the hinge axis of said door on the side thereof away from said opening and adjacent the edge furthest removed from said hinge axis and, projecting at its ends beyond the sides of said door and engaging the keepers when said door is closed to hold said door closed, guide means on said door mounting said shaft for movement toward or away from said hinge axis, afpair of arms rigidly secured in parallel spaced relation to and extending radially in the same direction from said shaft, a pair of laterally spaced links pivoted about parhopper adjacent an upper side of said opening and swingable under the effect of gravity to an open position, in combination, a shouldered keeper rigidly mounted on each of said side walls and extending beyond the respective sides of said door when closed, a shaft extending parallel to the hinge axis of said door on the side thereof away from said opening and adjacent the edge furthest removed from said hinge axis and projecting at its ends beyond the sides of said door and engaging the keepers when said door is closed to hold said door closed, a bracket on said door between said shaft and said edge of said doorhaving an outstaning wall carrying lugs in spaced relation and extending toward said hinge axis, a pair of parallel arms extending radially in the same direction from and rigidly secured to said shaft in alignment with said lugs, a pair of laterally spaced link members straddling each lug and the respective arm and pivoted thereto, about parallel axes, and guide means on said door mounting said shaft for movement toward or away from said hinge axis. r

11. In a railway car having a hopper with a discharge opening, side walls terminating at the sides of said discharge opening, a sloping floor terminating at the bottom of said discharge opening, and a door hinged to said hopper adjacent an upper side of said opening and swingable under the effect of gravity to an open position, in combination, a shouldered keeper rigidly mounted on each of said side walls andextending beyond the reispective sides' of said door when closed, a shaft extending iparallel to thehinge axis of said door on the side thereof :away from said openingand adjacent the edge furthest removed from said hinge axis and projecting at its tends tion from and rigidly secured to said shaft in alignment withsaid lugs, a pair of laterally spaced link members straddling each lug and the respective arm and pivoted thereto about parallel axes, and spaced apart guide walls secured to said outstanding wall of said bracket and extending toward said hinge axis and overlying said shaft to guide it in its movement toward or away from said hinge axis.

12. The invention, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the bracketis in the-form of an angle shaped member with end extending parallel to said outer face of said door and secured at its extreme end to the outer edge of:said

other wall of said bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,861,153 Dorey May 31, 1932 2,580,897 Dorey Jan. 1, 1952 2,630,771 Dorey Mar. 10,1953 2,720,174 Dorey Oct. 11, 1955 

